The present invention relates to a device for adjusting vertical position of a cutter, to enable half cut or full cut in label sheets, wallpaper sheets, strip coat sheets, and the like following an optional direction.
Japanese Utility-Model Application Publication No. HEI-2-14952 discloses an example of a conventional device for adjusting vertical position of a cutter. The device has two electromagnetic solenoids for selectively adjusting the cutter between an uppermost position, wherein the workpiece is not cut at all, a half cut position, and a full cut position.
The device is provided with a head capable of movement in X and Y directions of a horizontal plane. An outer cylinder is rotatably disposed on the head. A shaft with a cutting blade at its lower end is mounted in a guide tube in the outer cylinder, capable of free vertical movement. A gear is fixed to the outer surface of the outer cylinder. The direction in which the cutting blade faces can be changed by rotating the outer cylinder via the gear.
Another cylinder is fixed to the upper end of the outer cylinder, and a disk is disposed on the other cylinder. A hole is formed in the disk, and the shaft protrudes through the hole. A reciprocal movement spring for urging the disk upwards is disposed between the other cylinder and the disk. A seesaw-type first lever is disposed with one end between the disk and a pin protruding horizontally above the disk from the shaft, and with the other end in confrontation with an output shaft of a half cut electromagnetic solenoid.
A stopper is disposed in a frame above the shaft in abutment with the upper end of the shaft. A cutter position adjustment screw is disposed above the stopper. A cutter pressure spring for urging the stopper downwards extends between the cutter pressure adjustment screw and the stopper. The stopper has a flange that abuts against with the frame to prevent the shaft from lowering beyond a full-cut position to be described later. A second lever is disposed with its operation end in confrontation with the flange of the stopper and with its center in confrontation with the operation shaft of a full cut electromagnetic solenoid.
The amount that the cutter pressure adjustment screw protrudes is adjusted to set force of the cutter pressure spring to a desired half cut amount. When the half cut electromagnetic solenoid is turned off, that is, when it is not energized, upwards urging force of the reciprocal movement spring raises the rising/lowering shaft upwards into a non-cut position via the disk, the tip of the first lever, and the pin.
Next, when the half cut electromagnetic solenoid is turned on, that is, when it is energized, the rising/lowering shaft is lowered to a half cut position by downwards urging force of the cutter pressure spring. When the full cut electromagnetic solenoid is turned on, the second lever presses the stopper downward, so the rising/lowering shaft can be set into its full cut position.
However, this configuration is extremely complicated and requires a great number of components including two expensive and large electromagnetic solenoids.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a device for adjusting the vertical position of a cutter, using a simple configuration and horizontal movement of a cutter holder along a horizontal plane, to enable rising and lowering of the cutter in a plurality of different positions, such as a half cut or a full cut position, along a vertical path perpendicular to the horizontal plane.
To achieve the above-described objectives, a cutter according to the present invention includes a cutter holder, a cutter shaft, and a conversion unit. The cutter holder moves in opposing directions along a first path.
The cutter shaft moves within the cutter holder in opposing directions along a second path. The cutter shaft has two ends, one end being provided with a cutter that selectively protrudes from one end of the cutter holder depending on position of the cutter shaft along the second path with respect to the cutter holder.
The conversion unit is disposed at the other end of the cutter shaft, and converts movement of the cutter holder along the first path into movement of the cutter shaft along the second path, to select position of the cutter shaft on the second path with respect to the cutter holder.
Because the conversion unit converts movement of the cutter holder in the one direction into movement of the cutter shaft in another direction, there is no need to provide a separate actuator, such as a solenoid, only for the purpose of selecting position of the cutter shaft. Fewer parts components are necessary and the overall configuration can be simplified.
It is desirable that the conversion unit include an operation member and a selection unit configured in the following manner. The operation member is partially disposed in the cutter holder. The operation member has two ends that protrude away from each other from opposite sides of the cutter holder in the opposing directions of the first path. The operation member moves in a selected one of the opposing directions of the first path by abutment of one of the ends caused by movement of the cutter holder in the other of the opposing directions of the first path.
The selection unit is disposed in contact with the other end of the cutter shaft, and is driven to select position of the cutter shaft along the second path by movement of the operation member in the selected one of the opposing directions of the first path.
With this configuration, the operation member can be linearly moved by moving the cutter holder in parallel with the opposing directions in which the ends of the operation member extend. The linear movement of the operation member drives the selection unit to select the position of the cutter shaft. Therefore, the position of the cutter shaft, and consequently whether cutting is performed, or if so, the depth of cuts, can be easily adjusted, selected, or both, by merely controlling the amount and direction of cutter holder movement.
It is alternatively desirable that the conversion unit include a selection member and an operation member configured in the following manner. The selection member has a screw portion and moves in one of the opposing directions of the second path by screwing action generated when the selection member rotates in one direction, and in another of the opposing directions of the second path by screwing action generated when the selection member rotates in an opposite direction.
The operation member has one end connected to the selection member and another end protruding through a side of the cutter holder. The operation member rotates the selection member in a corresponding direction when pivoted, the operation member pivoting according to abutment of the other end caused by movement of the cutter holder.
With this configuration, the operation member is pivoted by movement of the cutter holder along the first path, which can be horizontally aligned, for example. Pivoting movement of the operation member rotates the selection member, which screwingly rises upward in parallel with an imaginary axial line of the cutter shaft, to a degree corresponding to the amount the selection member rotates. The position of the cutter shaft along the second path, which can be vertically aligned, for example, can be adjusted or selected corresponding to the amount that the selection member is screwed up. Therefore, by only controlling the movement amount of the cutter holder, the cutting depth of the cutter can be easily selected or adjusted.
It is also desirable to provide an adjustment unit that adjusts an initial position of at least one of the operation member and the selection unit along the second path. With this configuration, the depth of half cuts or full cuts can be easily preadjusted corresponding to the thickness of the workpiece to be cut.
It is alternatively desirable to that the conversion unit include a presser, a movement unit, and a selection unit configured in the following manner. The presser is disposed at the other end of the cutter shaft and freely movable in the opposing directions of the second path.
The movement unit is connected to the presser and protrudes from the other end of the cutter holder. The movement unit moves the presser selectively in the opposing directions of the second path, depending on rotational direction of the movement unit.
The selection unit rotates the movement unit in a rotational direction that depends on direction of movement of the cutter holder, in order to move the presser, and consequently the cutter shaft, in a corresponding one of the opposing directions of the second path.
With to this configuration, when the cutter holder moves along the first path, the selection unit rotates the movement unit in a rotational direction that depends on direction of movement of the cutter holder, in order to move the presser, and consequently the cutter shaft, in a corresponding one of the opposing directions of the second path. Rotation of the movement means moves the presser in a corresponding direction, so that the amount that the blade tip at the end of the cutter shaft protrudes can be adjusted.
It is desirable that these operations be performed when the cutter holder is disposed in a position that prevents the blade tip from contacting a workpiece in confrontation with the other end of the cutter holder. After the position of the cutter shaft has been adjusted or selected, the cutter holder need only by lowered to perform cutting operations.
In this way, the operations for adjusting a protrusion amount of the blade tip and cutting operations can be distinguished from each other by selecting vertical position of the cutter holder. Furthermore, the protrusion amount of the blade tip can be greatly or slightly adjusted selectively by selecting movement direction of the cutter holder along the first path while the cutter holder is in its raised up position. Accordingly, an operation for adjusting a protrusion amount of the blade tip can be executed by using movement of the cutter holder while the cutter holder is in its raised position to interrupt cutting operations. As a result, there is no need to provide a separate actuator for this purpose. Also, adjustment operations can be easily performed.
It is alternatively desirable that the movement unit include a lid, a screw shaft portion, and a gear, and that the selection unit includes a pair of planetary gears, all having the following configuration. The lid is disposed at the other end of the cutter holder.
The screw shaft portion is screwingly engaged in the lid and is interlockingly connected with the presser to move integrally with the presser along the second path. The gear protrudes from the other end of the cutter holder and rotates integrally with the screw shaft portion.
The pair of planetary gears alternately engage with the gear of the movement unit, depending on movement direction of the cutter holder. That is, one planetary gear rotates the gear of the movement unit in one direction, and the other planetary gear rotates the gear of the movement unit in another direction.
With this configuration, rotational direction of the gear and the screw shaft portion can be accurately switched using the planetary gears. Also, amount that the presser and the screw shaft portion are moved in the opposing directions of the second path can be accurately changed by the amount that the planetary gears rotate the gear. Also, because the movement amount is stable, the amount that the blade protrudes can be accurately set.
It is desirable that the pair of planetary gears be disposed at different positions from each other in the opposing directions of the second path, and rotate the gear of the movement unit in a suitable direction to adjust position of the presser in the cutter holder with respect to the opposing directions of the second path.
With this configuration, rotational direction of the gear can be selected without error so that the position of the presser in the cutter holder can be accurately adjusted.
It is alternatively desirable that the movement unit includes a lid, a shaft portion, and a gear, and that the selection unit includes a pair of planetary gears, all configured in the following manner. It should be noted that in this case the presser is non-rotatably disposed in the cutter holder.
The lid is disposed at the other end of the cutter holder. A shaft portion is freely rotatably supported in the lid in a manner that prevents movement of the shaft portion in the opposing directions of the second path with respect to the lid. The shaft portion is screwingly engaged with the presser. The gear rotates integrally with the shaft portion.
The pair of planetary gears alternately engage with the gear of the movement unit, depending on movement direction of the cutter holder. That is, one planetary gear rotating the gear of the movement unit in one direction, and the other planetary gear rotates the gear of the movement unit in another direction.
With this configuration, when the cutter holder moves along the first path, the selection unit rotates the movement unit in a rotational direction that depends on direction of movement of the cutter holder, in order to move the presser, and consequently the cutter shaft, in a corresponding one of the opposing directions of the second path. Rotation of the movement means moves the presser in a corresponding direction, so that the amount that the blade tip at the end of the cutter shaft protrudes can be adjusted.
It is desirable that these operations be performed when the cutter holder is disposed in a position that prevents the blade tip from contacting a workpiece in confrontation with the other end of the cutter holder. After the position of the cutter shaft has been adjusted or selected, the cutter holder needs only be lowered to perform cutting operations.
In this way, the operations for adjusting a protrusion amount of the blade tip and cutting operations can be distinguished from each other by selecting vertical position of the cutter holder. Furthermore, the protrusion amount of the blade tip can be greatly or slightly adjusted selectively by selecting movement direction of the cutter holder along the first path while the cutter holder is in its raised up position. Accordingly, an operation for adjusting a protrusion amount of the blade tip can be executed by using movement of the cutter holder while the cutter holder is in its raised position to interrupt cutting operations. As a result, there is no need to provide a separate actuator for this purpose. Also, adjustment operations can be easily performed.